On 2013-06-21 20:11, thePorpoise wrote:there is a vast difference btw Bac8 and Ron de Barrelito...

Agreed, they are different rums, and if I had my druthers and deeper pockets to keep the home bar stocked I'd always keep the 2 star and 3 star Barillito on hand as well. When I use Barrilito 3 star in recipes calling for an aged PR the resulting drink is usually quite acceptable, but I rarely have that and Bacardi 8 at the same time so I have yet to do much in the way of side by side cocktail comparison.

I have a soft spot for the unassuming Barrilito 2 star. Mixed with fresh coconut water over a couple of ice cubes, that is one of my favorite summer libations.

On 2013-06-18 22:21, thePorpoise wrote:wish i could find any of it in florida...

Just picked up a bottle of LH151 today at Roy's Liquors in Fort Pierce. There are four more bottles still on the shelf, as well as Smith and Cross and a couple of 1.75L bottles of Kohala Bay. Also picked up a bottle of Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Bitters that I am looking forward to finally playing around with.

Cruzan is from St. Croix, but I assume you meant that Cruzan Gold is your go-to gold mixer. Based on the UK navy rum traditions of the Virgin Islands I am not sure the rum is supposed to be Spanish style, but the 5x column distillation doesn't leave much in the way of ester funkiness so I guess it's functionally more Spanish than English style. The 2 year gold is not one I have ever been too enamored of as a mixer. On the other hand, their now discontinued Estate Diamond (a 5 year expression iirc) was a favorite top shelf mixer that I miss very much.

Hale Tiki, I agree with you than Don Q Gold is a fine gold PR rum. I stock it as my standard gold for mixing.

Kill Devil, I'm not sure which Cruzan you consider to be a gold rum, Aged White, Aged Dark, Single Barrel? I have the Aged White and Single Barrel in stock and did a taste test of the Aged White vs. Don Q Gold this evening. I didn't include the Single Barrel as I consider it a very fine dark rum. I've always compared the Aged White to other white rums and didn't consider it a substitute for gold but after tonight's testing I think it would do in a pinch but I much prefer the Don Q Gold though. It's not my favorite white either as it is a little too funky to be considered a PR white. It is a fine rum but I'm not sure how to categorize it. I consider El Dorado White, El Dorado 3 Year, and Denizen very good whites for mixing but my favorite white is Bacardi 1909 Ron Superior. Don't confuse it with the standard Bacardi Superior, which tastes what I imagine rubbing alcohol to taste like. I haven't actually tasted rubbing alcohol though, really!

My primary white mixing rum for most Tiki concoctions is Cruzan white. I am also one of those people who absolutely loves the way Banks 5 Island works in tropical cocktails that call for a hefty dose of white rum. That little bit of Batavia Arrak really makes that a white rum with depth.

For cocktails requiring a drier Cuban style white rum Flor de Cana 4 is generaly what I'll use. I judiciously nursed a stock of Havana Club 3 year Anejo for a year or so and once that was gone going back to Flor de Cana was somewhat underwhelming.

Does anyone know of a liquor store in the Ft Myers area that carries Lemon Hart? I tried to see if Total Wine or ABC could order it for me but they said none of their distributors carried it. West Palm beach would be an option as I am always going to concerts @ the Cruzan. On the plus side ABC now has Ron Barilito 3 star.